Sociology Optional UPSC Syllabus

 

UPSC Sociology Syllabus: Being one of the 48 optional subjects in the UPSC Civil Services Mains Exam, It consists of two papers, Paper 1 and Paper 2, each with 250 marks. Paper 1 consists of Fundamentals of Sociology, and Paper 2 consists of Indian Society: Structure and Change.

This article covers UPSC Sociology optional syllabus for both Paper 1 and Paper 2, a few tips on how to prepare for this subject, and important topics of the subject.

UPSC Sociology Optional Syllabus 2025

UPSC Sociology is one of the most popular optional subjects among applicants due to its concise syllabus, ease of learning, and availability of quality study materials. Out of a total of 1750 marks for all Mains papers, the optional paper's weightage is 500 marks, that is, 250 marks for each paper. Most of the time, current affairs-based questions are also asked in sociology optional papers. Hence, to score good marks reading a newspaper daily is equally important. 

UPSC Sociology Syllabus for Paper 1

Sociology Paper 1 covers the fundamentals of sociology, including concepts, theories, and methods, focusing on sociological thinkers, social institutions, and various social processes.

FUNDAMENTALS OF SOCIOLOGY

1. Sociology - The Discipline:

Modernity and social changes in Europe and the emergence of Sociology.

Scope of the subject and comparison with other social sciences.

Sociology and common sense.

2. Sociology as Science:

Science, scientific method, and critique.

Major theoretical strands of research methodology.

Positivism and its critique.

Fact value and objectivity.

Non-positivist methodologies.

3. Research Methods and Analysis:

Qualitative and quantitative methods.

Techniques of data collection.

Variables, sampling, hypothesis, reliability, and validity.

4. Sociological Thinkers:

Karl Marx - Historical materialism, mode of production, alienation, class struggle.

Emile Durkheim - Division of labour, social fact, suicide, religion, and society.

Max Weber - Social action, ideal types, authority, bureaucracy, protestant ethics, and the spirit of capitalism.

Talcolt Parsons - Social system, pattern variables.

Robert K. Merton - Latent and manifest functions, conformity and deviance, reference groups.

Mead - Self and identity.

5. Stratification and Mobility:

Concepts - equality, inequality, hierarchy, exclusion, poverty, and deprivation.

Theories of social stratification - Structural functionalist theory, Marxist theory, Weberian theory.

Dimensions - Social stratification of class, status groups, gender, ethnicity, and race.

Social mobility - open and closed systems, types of mobility, sources, and causes of mobility.

6. Works and Economic Life:

Social organisation of work in different types of society - slave society, feudal society, industrial capitalist society.

Formal and informal organisation of work.

Labour and society.

7. Politics and Society:

Sociological theories of power.

Power elite, bureaucracy, pressure groups, and political parties.

Nation, state, citizenship, democracy, civil society, ideology.

Protest, agitation, social movements, collective action, revolution.

8. Religion and Society:

Sociological theories of religion.

Types of religious practices: animism, monism, pluralism, sects, cults.

Religion in modern society: religion and science, secularisation, religious revivalism, fundamentalism.

9. Systems of Kinship:

Family, household, and marriage.

Types and forms of family.

Lineage and descent.

Patriarchy and sexual division of labour.

Contemporary trends.

10. Social Change in Modern Society:

Sociological theories of social change.

Development and dependency.

Agents of social change.

Education and social change.

Science, technology, and social change.

Sociology Optional Syllabus for Paper 2

Sociology Paper 2 applies sociological theories and concepts to the Indian context, examining social structure, change, and issues specific to Indian society, such as caste, class, and gender. 

INDIAN SOCIETY: STRUCTURE AND CHANGE

A. Introducing Indian Society:

(i) Perspectives on the Study of Indian Society:

Indology (G.S. Ghure).

Structural functionalism (M. N. Srinivas).

Marxist sociology (A. R. Desai).

(ii) Impact of colonial rule on Indian society:

Social background of Indian nationalism.

Modernization of Indian tradition.

Protests and movements during the colonial period.

Social reforms.

B. Social Structure:

(i) Rural and Agrarian Social Structure:

The idea of Indian village and village studies.

Agrarian social structure—evolution of land tenure system, land reforms.

(ii) Caste System:

Perspectives on the study of caste systems: G. S. Ghurye, M. N. Srinivas, Louis Dumont, Andre Beteille.

Features of caste system.

Untouchability- forms and perspectives

(iii) Tribal Communities in India:

Definitional problems.

Geographical spread.

Colonial policies and tribes.

Issues of integration and autonomy.

(iv) Social Classes in India:

Agrarian class structure.

Industrial class structure.

Middle classes in India.

(v) Systems of Kinship in India:

Lineage and descent in India.

Types of kinship systems.

Family and marriage in India.

Household dimensions of the family.

Patriarchy, entitlements and sexual division of labour.

(vi) Religion and Society

Religious communities in India.

Problems of religious minorities.

C. Social Changes in India:

(i) Visions of Social Change in India:

Idea of development planning and mixed economy.

Constitution, law and social change.

Education and social change.

(ii) Rural and Agrarian Transformation in India:

Programmes of rural development, Community Development Programme, cooperatives, poverty alleviation schemes.

Green revolution and social change.

Changing modes of production in Indian agriculture.

Problems of rural labour, bondage, and migration.

(iii) Industrialization and Urbanisation in India: 

Evolution of modern industry in India. 

Growth of urban settlements in India. 

Working class: structure, growth, class mobilisation. 

Informal sector, child labour. 

Slums and deprivation in urban areas. 

(iv) Politics and Society:

Nation, democracy, and citizenship.

Political parties, pressure groups, social and political elite.

Regionalism and decentralisation of power.

Secularization.

(v) Social Movements in Modern India:

Peasants and farmers' movements.

Women’s movement.

Backward classes & Dalit movements.

Environmental movements.

Ethnicity and Identity movements.

(vi) Population Dynamics

Population size, growth, composition, and distribution.

Components of population growth: birth, death, migration.

Population Policy and family planning.

Emerging issues: ageing, sex ratios, child and infant mortality, reproductive health.

(vii) Challenges of Social Transformation:

Crisis of development: displacement, environmental problems, and sustainability.

Poverty, deprivation, and inequalities.

Violence against women.

Caste conflicts.

Ethnic conflicts, communalism, religious revivalism.

Illiteracy and disparities in education.

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